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Hidden Hebrew Wordplays in Ruth with James Frohlich

Dr. James Frohlich is Adjunct Professor of Old Testament, Dallas Theological Seminary-Houston, and the author of The Relationship between MT and LXX in Jeremiah 39(46):1-41(48):3 and 52 (Forschungen Zum Alten Testament 2.reihe). Today’s topic: The author of Ruth weaves some interesting Hebrew wordplays through the narrative which are frequently lost in translation, especially relating to “leaving,” “clinging,” and the protective covering of “wings.”

To hear the podcast click here.

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There Is No Good Thing within a Person with Lucia Sanders, Ecclesiastes 2:24

Lucia Sanders, Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies and Director of the Academic Support Center at Life Pacific University (San Dimas, CA), is an alumna of Wheaton Graduate School’s M.A. in Biblical Exegesis and a current Ph.D. student at University of Birmingham. Today’s topic: Eccl. 2:24 is frequently translated something like, “A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink . . .” (NIV). It’s the Hebrew preposition behind the words “better than” that deserves a second look, as it normally does not signal a comparison as appears in typical translations.

To hear the podcast click here.

“Exegetically Speaking” is a weekly podcast of the friends and faculty of Wheaton College, IL and The Lanier Theological Library. Hosted by Dr. David Capes, it features language experts who discuss the importance of learning the biblical languages—Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek—and show how reading the Bible in the original languages “pays off.” Each podcast lasts between seven and eleven minutes and covers a different topic for those who want to read the Bible for all it is worth.

If you’re interested in going deeper, learn more about Wheaton’s undergraduate degree in Classical Languages (Greek, Hebrew, and Latin) and our MA in Biblical Exegesis. 

You can hear Exegetically Speaking on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. If you have questions or comments, please contact us at exegetically.speaking@wheaton.edu. And keep listening.

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How to Insult with a Consonant with Cathy McDowell

Dr. Catherine McDowell is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, having previously taught at Wheaton College. She also serves part-time as a professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at Séminaire Théologique Mondelus in Milot, Haiti. With Philip Towner, she authored, The Rewards of Learning Greek and Hebrew: Discovering the Richness of the Bible in Its Original Languages, among other things. How does the knowledge of the Biblical languages contribute to deepened understanding of the Bible, and what are some of its fruits?

To hear the podcast, click here.

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God’s Silence and His Plan for the World with Jordan Pickering

Jordan Pickering

Dr. Jordan Pickering is a biblical-studies scholar at the University of Cape Town YMCA Christian Study Centre, South Africa, and the author of Turn Neither Right Nor Left: Recentering Evangelicalism and Troubled Waters: A Fresh Look at Baptism and Why We Argue. Today’s topic: How the structure of Genesis 12 illuminates a hidden moment of silence, which in turn speaks to us about the nature of faith and blessing, and God’s long-term plan for the nations.

To hear the podcast click here.

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From Snake to Dragon with Nathan Lovell

Dr. Nathan Lovell George Whitefield College

Dr Nathan Lovell is Director of Research at George Whitefield College, Cape Town, South Africa. He has published The Book of Kings and Exilic Identity along with several articles, and is he currently writing commentaries on Kings (Hodder Bible Commentary) and Chronicles (The Bible in God’s world). In a previous episode he joined Dr. Capes to talk about 1 Kings 3. In this new episode he addresses a listener’s question about the creature that tempted Eve in Genesis 3. In that context it is a talking snake. Close attention to the language of later biblical passages sheds light on how it happens that Revelation finally refers to this creature as a dragon, indeed, as Satan.

To hear the podcast click here.